Her Pride and His Prejudice
by PianoSonata
Summary: Mrs. Granger was all in a dither. A wealthy bachelor was rumored to settle in their neighborhood. A right chance for her daughter to step in and dazzle him with her charms. She quickly confided in her husband, Mr. Granger, a man of few words and sense, about the recent arrival of a Mr. Potter in Godric's Hollow.
1. Mr Malfoy has issues

**My first AU fic. I'm so sick of being canon I guess. Presenting "Her Pride and His Prejudice"... can already tell how the story will go? I bet.**

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Mrs. Granger was all in a dither. A wealthy bachelor was rumoured to settle in their neighborhood. A right chance for her daughter to step in and dazzle him with her charms. She quickly confided in her husband, Mr. Granger, a man of few words and sense, about the recent arrival of a Mr. Potter in Godric's Hollow.

"Oh, Mr. Granger! Can you think of all the possibilities this brings our dear Hermione?" Mrs. Granger simpered girlishly.

"I assure you, my dear, that you are implying to only one possibility and that is marriage." Mr. Granger replied contemplatively behind his book.

"You must hasten to visit and secure an invitation to the ball!"

"If I must, then, my dear." Mr. Granger sighed submissively.

Hermione overheard the conversation between her silly mother and her unconcerned father by listening behind the study door. It brought a distasteful scowl on her face because it made her remember all the past blokes her mother forced on her. She _was _twenty, why did her simpering mother think she couldn't handle matrimonial decisions herself?

"Hermione!" her bestfriend, Ginny, called from outside their house. She quickly hurried to the door, dropping her book on the way.

"Good morning, Ginny. What brings you here?"

"Have you heard of the new neighbors?"

"Believe me, I've heard enough."

"People have been talking about how dashing a young man, is! I do wonder what he is like."

"I presume he is very agreeable, Ginny, now can we talk of other things? All this fuss about the stuck up, new arrivals is just utterly mad."

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**At the night of the ball...**

Everyone was dancing happily at the huge, magnificent ballroom of the Hartfield estate. The joyous ruckus was mainly because the guests of honor had not appeared yet. Hermione was having the time of her life dancing with Ginny and her pile of brothers who seemed almost like family to her. Both coming from poor families, it wasn't a wonder why. The chorus ended when the giant, wooden entrance suddenly opened to reveal the new neighbors. Mr. Potter _was_ a dashing young man like everyone had speculated. His jet-black hair and warm, green eyes stood out from the set. His lips were curled in a genuine smile.

"Who is that grim-looking man beside dear Mr. Potter?" Hermione inquired of Ginny.

"That is , apparently a long-time friend of Mr. Potter. I hear he earns twice as much as his friend does, and that he still is an elligible bachelor."

"How sad that God has given him an angel's face yet with a gloomy aura." Hermione observed to her friend. The man looked completely unconcerned with all the whispers in the hall. His grey eyes turned to a young woman with brown hair whispering to her red-headed friend.

"Well, I for one have no care for Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter seems quite the gentleman!"

"Hermione!" Mrs. Granger looked excited as a schoolgirl as she called from across the chamber. "Come hither that you and Mr. Potter may meet!"

Hermione suppressed a groan.

"It is lovely to finally meet you, Mr. Potter." Hermione stated automatically.

"Yes, and you too, Ms. Granger." he replied charmingly. "Have you met my friend? This is Draco Malfoy."

"Mr. Malfoy." Hermione said with a warm smile, but was affronted to receive only a curt nod from the pale, blond man.

Ginny nodged Hermione in the ribcage, making her face screw up in pain. Mr. Malfoy hid a slight grin.

"Ah, yes, this is my dear friend, Ginny Weasley."

"Mr. Potter, I have heard so much of you!" she replied, trying to control the excitement that took over her. Mr. Potter looked a bit taken aback but found her adorable and charming.

Meanwhile the chorus started to play once more.

"Would you care to dance Ms. Weasley?" Mr. Potter asked suddenly.

"Why of course." Mrs. Granger looked horrified and scowled at Hermione.

"Do you dance, Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione attempted a conversation with the seemingly made-of-ice Mr. Malfoy.

"Not if I can help it." surveying her with a steady gaze.

"Oh." Hermione looked dejected, plastering a smile to her face and slipping away to dance with one of Ginny's brothers.

Mr. Malfoy had issues.

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**Gah! Duh it's Pride and Prejudice, Hary Potter style. Question, should I or should I not put magic?Kind of bugging me right now. So far haven't delved into any details. I hate details. They're as unnecessary as frilly underwear. Anyway, review as you like, or else!**


	2. Preconceived Notions

**Chapter 2: Preconceived Notions**

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"Come now Malfoy," chided Mr. Potter. "I can't have you standing here stupidly and not meet or dance with anybody- this is, after all, an occasion meant for such leisure."

"I certainly will not." Replied Mr. Malfoy. "You mistake me for someone who gives enough care to fulfill such tawdry expectations. Besides, there is no woman in this room who wouldn't be a punishment for me to dance with."

"Now I must disagree with you on that, Malfoy for never have I been in the company of such a pleasant array of women in my life! Some of them, I'd have to say, you'll find exceptionally charming."

"I wouldn't put it past you to say so, Potter, for you are dancing with the only handsome woman in this room." Mr. Malfoy gave a terse gesture with his head towards Ginny who was then dancing with another gentleman.

"Well, she is without a doubt the most delightful creature I have ever seen. There is one of her friends behind you, who I assure you whose agreeableness does not escape her countenance- why not ask her for the next dance?"

"Her?" Mr. Malfoy eyed Hermione- who was sitting down at one of the armchairs given the lack of dance offers from gentlemen in the party. "I daresay she is tolerable, but not nearly handsome enough to entice me- perhaps the same reason why others dare not give her a second glance. Potter, must you waste your time with me and keep your partner waiting?"

Mr. Potter soon descended towards the dance floor to join Ginny for the next dance. Mr. Malfoy gazed with boredom after them until he caught the eye of Hermione- who was apparently seething with disdain. He gave her a curt nod which she civilly returned. As Hermione disappeared into the crowd with her chestnut-brown curls bouncing after her, he wondered whether she had been listening to their conversation all this time.

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The following afternoon, the Grangers decided to visit a family, whom they were most intimate with- the Lovegoods, for some tea. Much to Mrs. Granger's irritation however, Mrs. Weasley, in all her glorious smugness for having Mr. Potter's attentions on her daughter Ginny, were to join their company. Hermione, on the other hand, was pleased to have an excuse to be with her close friend, Luna Lovegood.

"I heard you started in out well, last night Luna," pitched Mrs. Weasley. "You were Mr. Potter's first choice."

"Yes, but he seemed to like his second better." Luna smiled in a wistful manner, as she always did, in reply. Although both being the best of her friends, Hermione had a different relationship with Luna than what she had with Ginny. She was more of a reliable confidante while Ginny was more of a supportive sister. Hermione also found Luna more even-tempered as she was more of a wallflower in their neighborhood.

"Oh imagine how elated we were upon seeing our darling Ginny dance with Mr. Potter for the second time!" Mrs. Weasley simpered- pleased with the topic- as she sipped her tea across Mrs. Granger who was hiding a glare behind her teacup. "I heard from Mrs. Brown that Mr. Potter thought her the prettiest of all the women in the ball! What a delightful young man! But how awful to have heard those words from Mr. Malfoy, Hermione."

"I simply cannot give a care, Mrs. Weasley." Replied Hermione as she grabbed a piece of biscuit from the porcelain platter. "I cannot imagine what I can gain by being in the favor of such a man."

"Right you are, Hermione," Mrs. Granger interjected, glad to veer away from Mrs. Weasley's narratives which were evidently the bane of her existence. "He is a most disagreeable young man, far from the disposition of his friend, Mr. Potter. I'd say it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him!"

"Mr. Potter tells me that he is agreeable among close acquaintances," Ginny spoke in Mr. Malfoy's defense. "Perhaps he is just not used to company."

"Non-sense! I do not believe a word of it, my dear. If he were so agreeable why did he not speak to Mrs. Brown though she sat near him the entire night?"

"I hardly mind his not talking to Mrs. Brown," Luna interrupted absently. "But I do wish he humored Hermione and danced with her when she asked.

"I don't think I ever shall dance with a contemptibly proud man." Hermione declared.

"His pride," said Luna dreamily, "I'd have to be honest, does not offend _me_ so much as pride often does, because there is a pretext for it. It is not a wonder that a fine, young man, such as himself, with family, fortune, everything in his favor, should think himself the better of others. I daresay he has a _right_ to be proud."

"That is very true," replied Hermione, "and I could easily forgive _his_ pride, if he had not affronted _mine_."

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Disclaimer: The plot and some of the dialogue are loosely Jane Austen's, I have to admit. I know it may seem predictable for now, but I need these chapters and these dialogues for a smoother transition.


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